The present invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus and, more particularly, to a miniaturized, lightweight and inexpensive recording and reproducing apparatus to which two tape cassettes of different sizes can be loaded.
A recording and reproducing apparatus has been proposed wherein two tape cassettes of different sizes having supply reels and take-up reels can be loaded and wherein the reel turntables that engage the tape reels, are accordingly translated between two positions. This recording and reproducing apparatus further includes reel motors which are exclusively dedicated to rotating the reel turntables and which enable the translation of the reel turntables between the two positions.
Since the recording and reproducing apparatus includes motors which are exclusively provided for rotating the respective reel motors as described above, there is the disadvantage that the members which support the reel turntables are inevitably increased in size and weight. Further, there is the disadvantage that the mechanism for translating the reel turntables between the two positions becomes complex.
Furthermore, when both the reel turntables are driven by a single reel turntable motor or when the two reel turntables are indirectly driven by using the driving force of another motor, the reel turntables need to be translated by a mechanism which applies proper torque to the reel turntables and a mechanism which detects the rotation of the reel turntables. However, this arrangement is also complex in arrangement.